4 knives in one

I suspect “meeting” is some kind of lost in translation thing. I don’t know what these have to do with meetings (other than that they might provide a handy – if deadly – way to get out of them).

Deglon is a French knife maker. This particular set of nesting knives includes four knives: a paring knive, a carving knife, a chef’s knife and a fillet knife, as well as a block.

The proportions are determined by the Fibonacci sequence (which, in turn, is derived from the glorious Golden Mean). Very cool.

UPDATE: Now available at Amazon for $860 – check stock as availability is limited.

$1200 ($1080 for Chicago Museum of Contemporary Arts members).

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Seriously Sexy Blade

The Japanese Santoku knife, roughly translated, means three uses (or virtues): slicing, dicing and mincing.  We received a new one this year, and have found it the perfect compliment to a heavy chef’s knife. Its smaller size and thinner blade make it perfect for finely cutting vegetables. We were very happy at how nicely it was to handle and how easy it was to cut veggies, most notably tomatoes which are always a good litmus for a knife due to their thicker skin and juicy flesh – a crappy knife will rip through the skin and smush the tomato innards.

Traditional knives – like these from Shun – are hand hammered and hand-crafted. Perfectly balancing the knives is a key part of the proces. The Shun Premier Santoku has a high carbon core for strength, but is wrapped in 16 layers of Damascus stainless steel. It is this Damascus process (an ancient sword-making technique) that gives the knife those crazy squiggles on it’s blade.

Currently on sale for $150

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The best way to cut the best cheeses

Laguiole makes great cutlery (and wine openers, fyi), the key is in the handles. This set is made from olive wood for a really classic yet rugged look. Comes with three different types of knives to allow you to parse through the different cheese types with ease: a spreader for softer goats and those thick delicious cheeses that go right to your ass, a slicer for cheddars and the medium hard cheese and a cleaver for those really hard ones.

It comes with a sweet olive wood case you can store it in until Thanksgiving (and until the weekend after and so on through the holidays and beyond).

Here’s a cheese recommendation: Epoisses de Bourgogne. If you’ve never had it, you are missing out, that’s all I’ll say. Make sure to serve at room temperature for maximum creamy goodness (and use the spreader).

Sur La Table has another set with plainer handles…but it’s still sweet (and a lot cheaper).

BUY OLIVE WOOD CHEESE KNIFE SET

BUY RESING HANDLE CHEESE KNIVE SET